Portrait of a Lady

Edouard Manet

National Gallery of Art

This painting shows a view of a woman's head and shoulders in profile. The woman is facing left, with her eyes forward. She has fair skin, a sharp nose, rosy cheeks, and red lips, and is wearing small gold hoop earrings. She has long brown hair and wears a decorative blue and beige hat. Blue fabric or feathers appear to wrap around the top of the hat and trail behind her head, down her shoulders, and on to her chest. Beneath this blue fabric she wears a light-colored, patterned garment with dark sleeves. The background is a textured, muted blue color. The brushstrokes in the painting are thick and visible, especially in the background and on her clothes.